A rare Chief Oshkosh Crowntainer beer can set a new auction record at $111,150 (includes buyer’s premium) at Morean Auctions, Brimfield, Massachusetts, March 9. (Crowntainers are a style of beer cans that have a funnel-shaped cone top that was sealed with a bottle cap.) The white Chief Oshkosh is the only known example known to Morean and is in near-perfect condition. The winning bidder was a Wisconsin native.
Photo courtesy Morean Auctions.
The previous auction record for a beer can was $93,600 at Morean Auctions for a Brown Derby flat-top instructional beer can sold December 22, 2024.
Dan Morean said, “It was both thrilling and validating to see the price surpass $100,000. These old beer cans were never meant to be collectibles. They were designed to be disposed of, which makes them incredibly rare. Collectors have had a deep passion for them since the 1970s, and it’s gratifying to see them gain the recognition they truly deserve.”
For more information, visit the website (www.MoreanAuctions.com).
Originally published in the May 2025 issue of Maine Antique Digest. © 2025 Maine Antique Digest
